Steve Pougnet


Stephen P. "Steve" Pougnet is an American businessman and Democratic politician who served as the mayor of Palm Springs, California from 2007 to 2015.

Background

Pougnet was born in Flint, Michigan. Pougnet earned his Bachelor of Arts in business from Michigan State University in 1985 and was elected to the Palm Springs City Council in 2003. In 2017, he was accused of receiving $375,000 in bribes from John Wessman and Richard Meany, land and property developers of the Palm Springs area. Pougnet is currently awaiting arraignment on corruption charges. He is free on $25,000 bail.

Positions held

Pougnet is openly gay. He married Christopher Green in 2008, and they have two twin children named Beckham and Julia.

Elections

In 2010, Pougnet ran unopposed in the June 2010 primary election to win the Democratic nomination for the United States House of Representatives seat representing California's 45th congressional district. In the November 2010 election, he ran against American Independent Bill Lussenheide and Republican incumbent, Mary Bono Mack. Bono Mack defeated both Pougnet and Lussenheide in the general election.